The White Buck
by Demeter3
Summary: Legolas is hunting a mysterious white buck, but realizes that not everything is exactly what it appears.
1. The Unexpected Journey

The White Buck  
  
by Demeter  
  
Note: this story mixes up many different types of stories, including a character from Greek mythology... but it still is set in Middle-Earth and most of the characters are from the book (I also do not own any characters from this story)   
  
  
It was a cool, misty morning in Mirkwood and the hustle and bustle of elves preparing for the Celebration of the Birth of the Prince. It was a big event for all the elves since King Thranduil made such a huge deal about this celebration. But, unlike King Thranduil... the prince didn't show the enthusiam about it as his father did.  
  
Legolas sat up in the tree watching his elven peers setting up big banners and ornaments to commemorate this joyous time. He imagined he had a bow in his hand and that he was shooting a fine animal. It was much more interesting than listening to the talk about how old the he would be this year. But it was not his imagination when he saw a white buck gliding through the forest. Legolas felt pure adrenaline when he saw this beautiful creature. It was going to be his!  
  
The prince ran up the stairs of the castle and grabbed his bows and arrows and then to the stables to grab one of his white stallions. He couldn't let this buck go.   
  
The buck sprinted through the forest at full speed when it saw the prince on the horse behind it. Legolas didn't know where this buck was going or where it came from but he was determined to catch it. For hours he followed the buck... it was turning into his obsession to find it. He was many hours from home and the celebrations would be starting.   
  
Oh well, he thought. It isn't like I will be punished.  
  
The horse tired and they laid down he sat there thinking about the animal. Oh how he wanted to keep going.. but the stallion was tired and he finally came to his senses and decided that was enough for today.  
  
Then he heard a sound from within the forest. He decided to leave his horse behind and go on foot. Little had he realized that he was farther from Mirkwood than he ever could imagine. In fact, he was in a forest that he didn't recognize at all. He must have ventured near the end of Middle- Earth.  
  
It was a peaceful, beautiful forest of green and had beautiful waterfalls. He heard echoes everywhere he turned, but couldn't tell exactly where or what they came from. Then he saw the buck peeking through the bushes. He didn't flinch or move for he feared any sound would surely scare it off.  
  
He slowly moved towards the creature and it ran off. But then a young creature appeared in front of the prince. It was a woman, but not of the race of elf or human. She had long golden brown hair that shone even in the night. Her pale white skin seemed so fragile and her beauty and wisdom made her very interesting to Legolas. She glanced at him with sparkling green eyes that saw right through him.   
  
"You have ventured far from the your lands, fair prince." She said in a whispery echo.  
  
"Yes, but how do you know that I am..."  
  
"I have followed you for many a day."   
  
"You aren't from Middle Earth are you, mi'lady?" Legolas asked in a quiet voice.  
  
"No, I am not... I am a stranger to this world." She sighed.  
  
"Well, my name is Legolas." he looked straight into her eyes.  
  
"And you are an Elf- prince of the land of Mirkwood. You seem troubled."   
  
"And who are you?" Legolas said in a curious tone.  
  
"Thoe, a nymph." she said shly.  
  
"I have never seen a nymph in my life." It was true the prince had never seen a nymph, but he knew that if they all looked like her that they would be the most beautiful lovely creatures in the world.  
  
"Well, I have never seen an elf." She smiled at him... knowing that she had never seen a man as beautiful as he.  
  
"Are nymphs immortal?" He asked not taking his eyes off of her.  
  
"Yes, well, they are... but we can turn into different forms. Like the White Buck." She winked.  
  
Legolas blushed, now that he knew that he wasn't chasing a buck... but a beautiful goddess.  
  
"I knew you were a hunter so I turned myself into a buck... I wanted to see your world, but if I came as myself, I might have scared you off... I mean..." Now the fair Thoe flushed with embarassment.   
  
"Well, you saved me at least from this celebration my father has set in my honor." Legolas said with a laugh like jingling bells.  
  
"Yes, but you looked so lonely and I felt sorry for you so I figured you needed something else to focus on." She knew in her heart that that was not the case. She laid eyes on the prince and instantly wanted him to follow her so she could get to know him better.  
  
Many an hour the two talked. The talked about their lives and interests. Deep in conversation, Legolas felt more connected to this creature than with anyone else in his life. She listened and understood almost everything he spoke about.   
  
"Close your eyes." Legolas said. She obeyed him, but not without giggling.   
  
"Where are you taking me?" She said with much curiousity.  
  
"You'll see." He said while leading her up a branch of the ancient tree. He sat her up and then sat close to her.   
  
"Open your eyes." He whispered in her ear.  
  
"They're beautiful!" she cried. Legolas smiled. The stars were so bright this night that they looked like diamonds or crystals. "Much brighter than where I am from. Just beautiful."  
  
"Yes, like you..." Legolas said in a soft whisper.   
  
"You are very kind, Legolas." she said as she placed a hand on his knee. Legolas quickly responded to this, he had never felt this way in his life.   
  
"It is true, but you are so much more than beauty, you are wise, you are different." He brushed the hair from her face.  
  
"How am I different?" She said stroking her hands in his long soft blonde hair.  
  
"Well first, no other woman has ever gotten me to chase them for hours. And none of them ever cared about who I was... I mean, I was always pursued because I was a prince, or a hunter, or because of the way I looked."  
  
"Well, I knew that you were all of those things... but I knew in my heart that you were so much more than that." Thoe said stroking his face.  
  
"And you are so much more than I imagined, my love." Legolas had only but talked to her for hours, but he could read her mind and her heart and he knew she was his love.  
  
He finally moved his head towards hers and gradually they both closed their eyes. His lips brushed onto hers and they locked in a passionate kiss. His arms reached and embraced her and she held him close. When the kiss broke, he kissed her forehead. She placed in his hand her necklace.  
  
"Will you come back with me, my love." Legolas said with much sighing.  
  
"If you want me to, I will." Thoe seemed to want to come with her prince, but in the back of her mind she sensed it was not such a good idea...   
  
To be continued... hope you enjoyed this chapter... please R&R 


	2. The Other Realm

The White Buck contiued...  
  
The Other Realm  
  
  
  
Thoe grasped Legolas's hand as he led her through the thick, dense forests. Her golden brown hair blowing in the slight breeze. But Thoe quickly let go of the prince's hand and ran to where she saw a beautiful cave. Legolas remembered it was the one by Moria in which they ventured past once.  
  
"Oh Legolas, this cave is magnificent!" She cried as she climbed up to view it closer.  
  
"Yes, this is Moria, by the dwarf city." Legolas said as he moved up close to where she was.  
  
"Dwarves?" Thoe had never seen a dwarf in all her immortal years.  
  
"Yes, dwarves. In fact, one of them is my closest of friends." He smiled.  
  
"What's his name?"  
  
"Gilmi."  
  
"Ohhh, I would so love to meet a dwarf someday. I live in such a sheltered world." She sighed with much melancholy.  
  
"My love, why did you leave Olympus?" Legolas said as he looked into her lush green eyes.  
  
"I was oppressed. Life was no longer an adventure and even though I had a good life, I was very lonely." she sighed.  
  
Legolas kissed her on her forehead, when suddenly he heard echoes from within the cave. Thoe quickly ran with speed into the forest, very frightened by whatever lurked in the cave.  
  
"THOE!" he cried... but it was no use. He would have to wait until she came back. The echo came closer...  
  
"Who goes there?!" Legolas called into the dark abyss.  
  
Only silence.  
  
"You have Thoe..." the voice was loud as a mountain rumble, but as soft as butterfly sneezes.  
  
"How do you know..."  
  
Then a figure came from within the dark. She was tall and beautiful, yet was clever and much different than to the likes of Thoe.  
  
"Because, I followed her." She called while gradually pushing a strand of her raven hair away from her face. Legolas was confused as to who or what this creature was and why she had followed his love for.  
  
"My name is Speio... I assume you to be Legolas Greenleaf, Prince of Mirkwood." Legolas felt a rush of anger and fear as to how this nymph knew everything about him.  
  
"How long have you followed her?" He questioned.  
  
"The whole time she was here. As well as the others."  
  
"Others?" Legolas did not like the idea of many woman or things following him and his love around.  
  
"Yes, we all came to find her." She nodded. "Do you love our Thoe?"  
  
"Yes, but that is not your business." Legolas turned away. He quickly felt a hand slide onto his shoulders and down his chest. Legolas quickly flinched and removed her hands from him.  
  
Thoe was no longer scared, but she sensed that Legolas was in trouble. She ran with agility and grace as fast as she could towards the cave. She stopped and fell on her knees and started to sob.  
  
"Dear sister, why do you sob?" Speio said as she stepped out from the shadows.  
  
"What have you done to him, you wench?" She went up and grabbed her by the hair. Speio tried to fight it but couldn't for Thoe was powerful with rage. "Where is he?!!"  
  
"Why do you care, you left him here... with me?!" She retorted. "You ran out of fear."  
  
"What have you done to him?" no longer in rage but trying to fight back tears.  
  
"He is in the other realm." Speio consoled.  
  
Thoe thought that her love would be in deep trouble there. The other realm was full of nymphs who were not like her. Who would stop at nothing to attract Legolas for he was even more beautiful than some of the nymphs.  
  
Soon Thoe chanted in the language of the gods and entered the realm she feared so much. She looked around... Legolas couldn't be that impossible to find. The meadows and forests were covered in green lush colors and hundreds of nymphs gathered in the meadows... one specific spot was where a group of nymphs clothed and unclothed sat in a circle... and in the middle of it sat... Legolas. She felt a sudden happiness and relief... but also jealousy for other nymphs were flirting and giggling over her love.  
  
"Legolas," she called his name. He responded and got up. But very clumsily.  
  
"Yes... everyone this is Thoe, the woman... um, nymph that I LOVE!" He said... but it was not him... for his words didn't flow like a stream, but butchered like the rushing waves.  
  
"We know who Thoe is... she is our superior... but she is easily bored with us and picky when it comes to men." Chanted the voices of the many nymphs who thought Thoe to be as important as she was a fireball.  
  
"Don't mock me!!!!" she roared... and she stormed off back into Middle- Earth...  
  
Legolas got up to follow her... but arms were grabbing him but he soon fought off the effects of the wine the other nymphs had given him. And went to follow Thoe.  
  
Thoe ran as fast as she could... was this her punishment... she finally found someone she could spend the rest of her long eternity with and then the wretches of her own race ruin it all. She sat down in the brush of the forest and her clothes were tattered and she was flushed with embarassement and tears. With her head on her knees, she sat and thought of how foolish she was for letting this... elf... become the object of her love. But before she could really think much more, a hand reached out and helped her mount a horse... she missed Legolas but was infuriated with him.  
  
The prince ventured near and far to find Thoe but all he found was a crystal braclet that belonged to her and knew that she was in the hands of someone else and that he had to find her...  
  
To be continued...  
  
It is short but i wanted to make it suspenseful! thanks for the wonderful reviews! 


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